Many methods and systems that couple mechanical components having different optimal rotational velocities are currently used. The typical gear box is one such system. A gear box has a gear ratio that enables an input to the gear box to be adjusted according to the gear ratio, when the gear box provides an output. For example, suppose a gear box has a gear ratio of 1 to 5 and an input of 10 revolutions per minute (“RPM”). Under normal operating circumstances the gear box, in this example, would produce an output of 50 RPM. As those skilled in the art will understand, gear boxes house numerous gears and are designed to provide numerous gear ratios. An increase in gear ratio leads to more expensive and larger gear boxes. Maintenance costs are also higher for gear boxes having increased gear ratios due to an increased number of internal components. Thus, people using gear boxes to couple mechanical components generally want to utilize smaller gear boxes.
An application that utilizes gearboxes are speed adjustors. Speed adjustors receive an input at one speed and provide an output at a different speed. Typically such a conversion is needed because mechanical components have different optimal input and output rotational velocities. The satellite reducing or increasing revolution of a variable or fixed revolving input shaft per minute into a higher or lower speed is well known. Usually applications consist in using a more efficient input of an engine (the driving or input force) into a useable slower output speed delivering an increased torque.
A good output for a standard diesel engine is between 1600 & 1800 RPM. Such engines are used in earth-moving-mining vehicles having large wheels. The large wheels need a tremendous torque at low speed because of their large size and weight of the vehicle's payload. To couple mechanical power from the diesel engine, the output of the diesel engine is converted into a high torque, low speed output by satellite gear reducers such as the “Torque Hub®” built by Fairfield Company, La Fayette, Ind. The input in this example is the engine's drive which transports power to a plurality of satellite gears surrounding the small input gear at the wheels of the vehicle. The satellite gears in turn roll inside the large static inversed gear ring, part of the fixed gear box housing assembly. The satellite gear assembly rotates at a slower speed than the input shaft within the fixed inversed gear ring and further transfers the rotational power to the wheels at an increased useable torque. The gear box is mounted to the frame of the vehicle so that the torque of the output of the gear box is transferred to the large wheels.
While serving their respective purposes, currently used speed adjusters have drawbacks and can be improved. An ideal speed adjuster would utilize the smallest possible gear box for a give set of design constraints. In addition, current speed adjustors are not optimally designed to couple the rotational force of multiple inputs to a single output.